The automatic emails from this site are no longer happening. You can receive posts from the new site - www.wkhscounselors.wordpress.com. I've written 3,951 posts since launching this site which is pretty crazy. I appreciate everyone who has followed along the way. The new site is a way for all WKHS students and families to gather the information and not just "my" families. So please, join us there. And know I appreciate you still coming back to read the updates.
Tomorrow we will start meeting with every 9th grader and I'm looking forward to a busy, but meaningful day!
I also wanted to make sure that all parents know that Parent/ Teacher conferences are coming up next week and the online system for parents to sign up for a time to meet with teachers opened this morning. Conferences will be held on Monday, February 9th from 4:00pm - 7:30pm and Wednesday, February 11th from 5:00pm – 8:30pm. Each conference will be scheduled in 15 minute time blocks. Conferences allow parents the chance to learn about your student’s classroom performance from the teachers, it allows the opportunity for you to ask questions and they provide an opportunity to build a dialogue with the teachers regarding any thoughts and concerns you might have.
Conferences will be scheduled as people sign up for them, so if you want to make sure you have times that work well for you, I strongly encourage you to register right away.
Please follow the steps below to register for a parent/ teacher conference:
After submitting your time slot, you will be prompted to finish, schedule another appointment for the same student or register another student. Once you have completed your reservations, you will receive an e-mail confirming the date and time of your conferences and a link by which you can make changes to your date or time if you need to do so.
Click on the teacher you would like to meet with for a conference.
Sign up by entering your child’s last name, first name, your name and your e-mail address and then click Submit.
The next screen will direct you to check your e-mail inbox for a message with the subject “Select Date/ Team for Teacher Conference Now.”
Open the e-mail and click on the link to select a conference time. If you do not receive an e-mail, please check your junk/ spam folder. Please note, you MUST follow the link in the email in order to complete the sign-up process.
The link will take you to a Time Picker. Available time slots will appear on this page. If there are no available appointments that suit your schedule, please e-mail the teacher directly to set up an alternate meeting time.
The PE waiver provides the opportunity for students to waive having PE as a required class for graduation. This option is available to students participating in high school athletics including cheerleading and marching band. (For ease of explaining and writing this, when I refer to sports or athletics throughout this post, please know that it also includes marching band.) All students must still earn the full 20 credits to graduate from high school, this waiver would simply mean that what has typically been required (1/2 credit of Physical Education) would not need to be included in the 20 credits earned and an additional 1/2 credit of Elective would be required instead.
Please be aware that athletic participation during your senior year does NOT count toward the waiver.
In order to qualify for the waiver, students must successfully complete two full seasons of athletics. This can be 2 different sports in one year, it could be 1 sport over two years, or even 1 sport one year and another sport the other year. So, for example, if you participate in both football and basketball in the same year, you would qualify for the waiver. If you participate in football as a sophomore and again as a junior, you would qualify for the waiver. If you participate in football as a sophomore and track as a junior, you would qualify for the waiver.
In order to have your sport counted as one which can be used for the waiver, it must be an approved high school sport. This means that your club sport participation, like club soccer or club volleyball, is not included in the waiver eligibility. Also, dance team and the competition cheer team are all club teams and not high school sponsored athletics and so they are not eligible for the waiver option. Additionally, team managers and statisticians cannot count their involvement as a season toward the waiver.
Students must complete a "full season" in order to have the sport count which is considered from the first practice through the last event or banquet. If a student is "cut" from a team, quits, or has an athletic/ activity code violation which requires them to forfeit 50% or more of the season, then that season would not be able to be used to meet the two-season requirement. If you were to get hurt, the injury will not eliminate the option of having the season count if the principal, coach and athletic director determine that the student actively participated and made contributions in spite of the injury.
Many students ask if it can be a partial waiver because they had completed 1 season of sport and so they only want to have to take 1 PE class and the answer is no, there is no ability to mix and match. If you have already completed a PE course, you can still utilize the waiver to eliminate PE as a required course, but you must complete 2 seasons of sports in order to qualify for the waiver. The bottom line is that 0 seasons of sports = needs PE/ doesn't meet the waiver eligibility requirement, 1 season of sport = needs PE/ doesn't meet the waiver eligibility requirement, and 2 seasons of sports = meets the waiver eligibility requirement and therefore doesn't need PE classes.
The district has developed a system to track your athletic participation automatically and that happens at the end of each school year. Even though it should catch your sports automatically, it never hurts to double check at the end of the year to make sure your waiver appears on your transcript.
When we are talking about registration for next year, it often leads students to think about some of the other learning program partnerships that are options available to you as Kilbourne students. I am specifically thinking of the Delaware Area Career Center (DACC), Linworth, and the Worthington Academy.
It is important to remember that the Delaware Area Career Center requires students to apply and even though the priority deadline has passed, they would still welcome your application. So, if you are interested in applying to DACC, please get your application completed and submitted online ASAP.
For current juniors who are already enrolled as students at DACC, as long as you are in good standing with your program then you are automatically eligible to continue in your program next year. So, when you register online you will select the 1/2 day or Full day option that you prefer and register only for the classes at WKHS that you plan on taking.
If you are a sophomore or junior who has applied to the career center, then when you are completing the online course registration, you will fill out the request as if you are taking a full day at WKHS. Later, when you find out that you have been accepted to the program of your choice, then we will meet again and we will go back in and adjust your classes to reflect your half day or full day DACC preference.
Linworth is another incredible option for some of our WKHS students. While most students who attend Linworth start there as freshmen, there are limited opportunities for older students to apply and attend. If you are interested, we need to set up a time for you to visit and interview. For current Linworth students, please register online for just the classes you will take at WKHS. As always, you will set up your Linworth schedule at Linworth on the first day of school next fall.
Worthington Academy is another application based program available to WKHS students. The Academy is housed on the west end of Perry/ Phoenix Middle School and it provides students with the opportunity to blend their learning with a mix of teacher instructed and online courses.
Much like DACC and Linworth, students who are already attending the Academy and are in good academic standing can register for the Academy as a part of their registration process and then select only the classes you plan on taking at WKHS. Those students who are applying for the Academy for the first time will register as if you were going to be attending classes at WKHS for the full day. Once you are accepted, the Academy staff and the WKHS counselors will go in and update your course requests so that you have the Academy and only the classes you plan on taking at WKHS in your schedule.
Please know that there are limited seats available at the Academy, so if you are interested in applying you want to get your application in as soon as possible. If you have questions about the Worthington Academy, feel free to stop and see me or you can also contact the Academy Principal, Dr. Flynn, via e-mail at sflynn@wscloud.org.
Taking rigorous classes while in high school is one of the best ways students can prepare themselves for college. At WKHS we have lots of options available for students to do this most notably honors classes along with IB, AP and CC+ courses. Through these classes, students have the opportunities to push themselves and have the potential to earn college credits while in high school by taking AP, IB and CC+ classes.
One of the top factors colleges consider when evaluating applicants is the strength of the academic schedule students take on during high school. (And, of course, that students do well in those classes.) One of the options students can consider for selecting a rigorous academic schedule that also has the benefit of providing students with a global perspective and integrated learning to make connections across courses, is the International Baccalaureate (IB) program.
Students who are interested in completing the full IB diploma program will have specific IB courses to take along with completing the IB exams, an extended essay, and a community action service project along with a Theory of Knowledge course. Even if students are not sure that they want to take on the full diploma program, you can still participate in IB courses! You can take just a handful of classes (or even just 1) if that is what appeals to you. For example, students interested in Psychology or History might elect to take just the IB Psychology course or just the IB History course.
As an IB World School, our students have the opportunity to participate in a rigorous group of classes to push themselves to learn and grow. Students who are in the IB program are among the first to talk about how much they have enjoyed the program and the small cohort of students they study with in the program. If you have questions about IB, I definitely encourage you to talk with students in the IB program or to Mrs. Goodwin who is the IB program coordinator. And, of course, you can always talk to me too.
Students must pay to take the IB exams and, depending on the level of the class, how well you performed on the test, and the college you are attending, you may be able to earn college credit for the course. It is helpful in your planning to be aware that some colleges will not grant credit for individual SL classes - only Higher Level (HL) courses.
Advanced Placement (AP) classes are offered in a wide range of subject areas from core subjects like English and Science to the arts such as AP Studio Art and AP Music Theory. These classes are designed to fulfill the college course content and the teachers are following the curriculum requirements to prepare students for the AP exam at the end of the year.
Students must pay to take the AP exam and, depending on how you do on it and the policy of your intended college, you can earn college credit for the class.
College Credit Plus (CC+) is another rigorous option for students. The difference in a CC+ class is that students are earning the credit for the work completed across the semester instead of relying on a test at the end of the year.
It is important to realize that while CC+ is set up to be free to students, if you fail the class then you are responsible for paying for the class. Additionally, whatever grade you earn in your CC+ class that grade is on your college transcript. So, in comparison, for IB and AP classes, the grade you earn in the class doesn't have any bearing on your college transcript - you either earn the credit or not through the exams, with CC+ it is starting your college GPA. For example, if you decide to complete your Associate's Degree at CSCC and then transfer to OSU, that college GPA is going to impact your potential to be considered for particular majors or scholarships.
CC+ also requires more independent learning and follow through of students than traditional high school classes. You are moving through a full year's worth of content in a semester and you will be doing much of the work on your own time since the classes only meet 2 days per week. Students who need frequent reminders are likely not ideal candidates for CC+ classes.
There are advantages and disadvantages of all 3 rigorous course opportunities. The best news is that there isn't a bad decision about which classes to take - so think about yourself and your own areas of interest and decide what you think feels best for you.
Remember, all colleges get to set their own policies for what classes they will give students college credit for completing and what the qualifying score for AP and IB exams must be in order to earn that credit. You can usually find th
One aspect of the registration process that can sometimes cause confusion for students related to selecting their classes is how to deal with teacher recommendations.
Last week, your teachers reviewed the different classes offered within their departments and made suggestions about the courses they would recommend you to take next year. Some of the core and foreign language teachers submitted their recommendations for what class they would suggest for you to take directly into Infinite Campus.
If you don't agree with what a teacher has recommended, you are not locked into that course. For example, we know that there are MANY students who will be recommended for LOTS of honors or AP or IB classes and not want to take all of them. This is completely appropriate and acceptable... in fact, I would say that I absolutely WANT you to prioritize and schedule a balanced load that meets your interests and goals for the future. (And your teachers and administrators want that for you too!)
The first place we suggest you start is by talking with your teacher about their recommendation and the course you would prefer to take. Since your teachers know your learning style and approach they will have important and valuable information for you and your parents to take into consideration when selecting classes. I encourage you to carefully take their recommendations into consideration - especially if they are suggesting you take an "easier" course than the one you were previously considering.
However, we also know that some students may not feel comfortable telling a teacher they want to take a different class than what the teacher was recommending. I am anticipating this could be the case if a teacher is suggesting their elective or core course and you wanted a different one and don't want to hurt the teachers feelings. I get it, but I will also remind you that your teachers should not be pressuring you into anything! This is YOUR future and YOU are the one who will be in the class and doing the work next year! So, know that I am more than happy and willing to talk to you about what courses you would like to change and make adjustments for you. If you and your parents have decided that it is not in your best interest to take a class that your teacher has recommended and you want an easier or comparable course, then we will easily fix this during our individual meeting next week.
If you have decided that you want a more difficult course than what was recommended by your teacher then you must complete the Course Override form (on the Counselor website) in order for us to change that in your schedule. Before you decide to go with a more difficult course than has been recommended, please be VERY careful in thinking through all of the possible implications of doing that because your teacher's are recommending based upon what they know about your learning AND what they know about the classes. They want to make sure that you are being recommended for classes that will help you to be successful in the future.
One of the graduation requirements is for all students to complete a Financial Literacy Course. There are a lot of different classes that can fulfill that requirement, but this tends to make the requirement a bit confusing.
Economics and Financial Literacy - this class is a Social Studies elective course that will give you a SS elective credit and meet the financial literacy requirement.
Personal Financial Management - this class is a Business elective course that will give students an elective credit and fulfill the financial literacy requirement.
Independent Living - this is one of the Family & Consumer Science classes and it will give you an elective credit and fulfill the financial literacy requirement.
Financial Algebra - this is a year long math class that meets the financial literacy requirements while also giving you a math credit.
The cool thing about all of these classes is that they are all covering the same financial literacy standards, but the additional content and approach in the classes are different so that you can select the course which appeals most to you.
We get one more snow/ cold day tomorrow! Enjoy it and start transitioning your sleep schedule back to "school times" if you got yourself flipped around this week.
Yesterday I talked about how many classes you need. And I didn't remind you that there is also the opposite side of scheduling where students want to take ALL the classes and fill their schedules up with too many difficult classes compared to what they can actually manage successfully. After all, it is really easy right now (especially when we are in the midst of multiple back-to-back snow days) to think "Oh I can manage to do it all, it will be fine." But then when you're in the midst of actually doing it you can feel like you are drowning.
So, when you are considering which classes you want to take it is really important to try to find a balance. You want to challenge yourself with courses that will push you and help prepare you for the future. At the same time you want to remember that it is high school and you need to be reasonable about your expectations for yourself. There is a balance that should be sought - between too many "easy" classes and too many "hard" classes. You know yourself best and what you can handle so while it may feel good to have every teacher recommend you for honors, AP, or IB classes it doesn't mean that it would be the ideal situation to load your schedule with 7 advanced classes. In the past I have even had students stop by proclaiming a plan to take 8 classes by skipping their lunch period. I get it, there are a lot of incredible classes available at WKHS, but overloading your day and burning yourself out does nothing for your love of learning or your ability to successfully complete your classes. I cannot stress enough how much I want you to think about the rest of your commitments.
What sports, clubs, music groups, part-time jobs, and volunteer commitments do you have? When will you have time to relax and breathe, spend time with your family and friends and, perhaps most importantly, still get a good night's sleep each night?
I understand this can be hard to figure out the balance because you aren't at next year yet to be able to imagine what your days will feel like, but the Kilbourne staff created a Time Commitment Planning Calendar which can help you gain insight into what your intended plan will really look like. You can find it on the Kilbourne Counselor website - www.wkhscounselors.com. A student helped by completing a sample calendar so that you can see what a completed one looks like and that is also on the Kilbourne Counselor website. I strongly encourage you to consider 2 of your busiest weeks and fill out the calendar so that you can have a realistic perspective for what the classes you are considering would provide a good balance for you - being both rigorous (particularly in any area of passion) and reasonable.
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